ANSWERS

SECTION A

1. (A) (b) They evoke the wish in us to master them.

Explanation: It is given in paragraph 1 that the author says that
‘mountains have been the challenge that the brave men always want
to conquer’. This shows how they evoke the wish in us to master them.
Hence, (b) is the right answer.
(B) (d) The heavier the luggage—the higher the penalty
Explanation: In the given sentence, the relation between the
underlined words is similar in the degree of comparison. Here, in
option (a), (b) and (c) the underlined words are opposite in nature.
Hence, (d) is the right answer.
(C) (c) conviction
Explanation: The writer, in the given line, uses the word ‘undoubtedly’
which states that he is sure of what he is saying. Hence, (c ) is the
right answer.
(D) Hard to put in words
(E) very difficult / requires perseverance
Explanation: The writer calls training a ‘penance’ as it is like a
expiation which is very difficult for a person to go through.
(F) (1) Because mountaineering includes difficulties like having to
walk on icy sheets that cannot be accomplished without proper
preparation of equipment.
(2) B
 ecause mountaineering includes dealing with several Health
hazards that cannot be managed without preparation.
(3) B
 ecause managing unpredictable weather is essential in
mountaineering and cannot be accomplished without being
prepared with specific training.
(4) B
 ecause mountaineering presents the risk of fatality due to
faulty decision-making and cannot be addressed without being
prepared by accompanying/ engaging experienced climbers.
 (Any other relevant/ correct from text) (Any 2)

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 Explanation:
(1) Because mountaineering includes difficulties like having to
walk on icy sheets that cannot be accomplished without proper
preparation of equipment.
(2) Because managing unpredictable weather is essential in mountai-
neering and cannot be accomplished without being prepared with a
specific training.
(G) If the weather is unpredictable, it makes it difficult to decide when to
set up camp as mountaineers would prefer to climb when its sunny
and camp when it’s snowing.
 npredictable weather makes it difficult for the mountaineers to
U
decide whether they want to climb further or set up a camp to rest
as they always climb in sunny weather and rest or stop when it
snows.
(H) (a) survival
Explanation: A mountaineer is always respectful towards the natural
forces for the sake of its survival as the force of nature is so glorious
that it can destroy the man in seconds. Hence, (a) is the right answer.
(I) Survival is key in mountain climbing and it can be done with
meticulously planning/careful decision-making/ careful application of
training  (any one or more)
It has no room for rash or impulsive decisions/actions—these would lead
to accidents or fatalities
Explanation: The key to successful mountain climbing lies only in
the proper and meticulous planning and training for the same. Taking
rash decisions by the impulsive mountaineers always lead to accidents
and fatalities.
(J) (d) Opportunity to use sophisticated mountaineering equipment
2. (A) • B
 ecause the accepted norm is that festivals are synonymous with
celebration/joy and people fail to see the other side, which is pollution

OR
• Festivals
and pollution are two sides of the same coin currently/ polar
opposites/ completely in contrast, yet together with each other—where
we associate festivals with joy and celebration, we can’t deny that
pollution is an ignored reality
Detailed Answer: Unfortunately, festivals and pollution go hand-in-
hand. Though festivals are all about celebrations, fun and laughter,

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 today it is (in many ways) traumatizing the mother earth with the
litter left after celebrations. Festivals and pollution are two sides of
the same coin, where the latter is an ignored reality.
(B) • Second objective- Exploring solutions
• Significance- important for knowing steps that need to be taken to
address the problem investigated in the research/ knowing what
are the immediate actions that need to be implemented to address
the issue studied/ helps focus on what needs to be corrected and
what needs to be avoided to solve the problem focused on in the
research.
Detailed Answer: Second objective is exploring solutions, to bring
awareness about celebrating festivals without harming the ecology. To
understand and focus on what needs to be corrected and what needs
to be avoided, and then give the solution for the problem focused on in
the research.
(C) • Researcher’s recommendation: Strict rules
• Justification: Strict rules are better than a total ban because
banning does not serve the purpose of awareness/ people do not
generally conform to banning and tend to revolt/ strict rules pose
some restrictions but still give the needed freedom.
Detailed Answer: Researchers recommend enforcing strict rules to
limit the drastic impact of festival pollution. Government should resort
to strict rules instead of total ban because people do not conform to
banning and tend to oppose it. So also, banning does put the people
under some restrictions but gives the much needed freedom.
(D) • The festivals cause pollution along with other issues (give
examples) that add to it.
• Awareness is the only solution but the lack of it only adds to the
problem.
Detailed Answer: In the study, the environmental groups and eco-
clubs aren’t succeeding in their battle against pollution because of
unregulated disposal of plastics, garbage dumping, city traffic issues
and all sorts of ecological degradation that happens during the festival
season. The need of the hour is to sensitize the masses and increase
the awareness on celebrating the festivals in an eco-friendly manner.
(E)  A bonafide polite person will always be polite with animals along
with people. He will also be polite with strangers.
(F) (b) Peer pressure

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 Explanation: (b) Peer pressure refers to the need for people to act
according to what their friends or neighbours expect of them. Hence,
this is the right answer.
(G) (b) Strict rules and regulations
Explanation: The study suggests that bringing in strict rules
and regulations would be more effective than a complete ban on
firecrackers. Hence, (b) is the right answer.
(H) (b) one and the same as
Explanation: To be synonymous means to mean the same as
something. Hence, (b) is the right answer.
(I) (d) Many people abuse environmental resources during festivals.
Explanation: We know this because 72% respondents believed that
people abused environmental resources during festivals.
(J) (d) To understand the pressures and perspectives of different socio-
economic classes.
Explanation: The researchers wanted to understand how different
socio-economic classes looked at the problem of ecological protection
during festivities, and hence, (d) is the right answer.

SECTION B

3. (A) (d) washed

(B)
Error Correction
(B) Can should
(C)
(D)
(C) The teacher told her students that their exams would go well and
advised them not to panic.
(D) (b) shall we; no error
Explanation: The first sentence is asking for a suggestion, so the
correct modal verb to use here is ‘shall’. However, there is no error in
the second sentence. Hence, (b) is the right answer.
(E) those
(F) Error Correction
could must/should

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 (G) Option No. Error Correction
(a) are is
(H) (c) has implemented
(I) (a) pass; commanded them to hold.
(k) (b) lies
(J) (b) speaks
Explanation: The sentence is in simple present tense and Reena is a
singular noun.
(L) Error Correction
balancing balance

4. D-424, Island Avenue,

Ernakulam-119900
26th March, 20XX
The Director,
Maxwell Institute of Languages
Fort Road,
Kochi - 400021
Subject: Enquiry regarding the diploma course in French.
Dear Sir/Ma’am,
This is with reference to your advertisement in the Times Daily dated 15th
February, 20XX regarding the courses in acting offered by your reputed
institute. I am currently studying in Grade 12 and awaiting results of
my board examinations. I am passionate about languages and want to
learn French in particular. I have researched and found your institute to
be the best in providing courses on the same.
Please send me the prospectus containing information regarding the
course and the application form. I would be highly grateful if you could
also provide me some information about the following:
Scholarships available
Admission procedure
Fee structure
Duration of the course
Class timings
Eligibility criteria
Hostel/Transport facilities

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 Kindly send me the latest brochure with the above details along with the
enrolment form at the earliest so that I can register for the course.
Yours faithfully,
Vipul/Apoorva
OR
Brilliant Vidyalaya, Barra
Kanpur,
29 August 2022
The Editor,
The DWA,
K-21, Anjana Pura,
Kanpur,
Subject: Need for Promoting Healthy Eating Routines.
Dear Madam
This is with reference to posters bearing the message of ‘crash diet’ being
posted around our school premises. Such posters impact the youngsters
negatively and can be hazardous for their self-esteem.
I would like to propose the idea of implementing “Wholesome Lunch Month’
for all school students to counter the implications of such misleading
advertisements. This initiative is sure to encourage all students to bring
nutritious and healthy lunch daily and develop healthy eating routines. To
ensure that this project gains strength, schools may organize puppet shows,
street plays, Ted Talks (by Nutritionist/ Psychologist), encompassing the
theme, to foster healthy eating routines and a positive body image.
I hope that the publishing of my letter in the columns of your renowned
Daily, helps spread awareness and promotes a healthy lifestyle among
students.
Yours truly,
Sunidhi Prakash
Vice-Captain
5. The question tests the following writing LOs:
• Convey ideas convincingly using appropriate language.
•O  rganise content and structure ideas logically, sequentially, cohesively.
• Use a range of vocabulary and sentence structure appropriate to the
content and context.
• Use of functional language to show comparison, contrast, emphasis,
conclusion, etc.

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 Response to Setbacks
Setbacks often leave us with a feeling of disappointment and may even
lead to acute depression. There are two ways to handle any setback-one for
the better, i.e., healthy and the other for the worse, i.e., unhealthy. When
we take the setback in a healthy way, we learn from it and let go of the
emotions inside. The optimistic approach provides us an ability to feel,
reflect and align. In other words, we observe the pattern of the setback,
especially assess the difficulty of work and possibility of future success by
doing the work.
In particular, the person reaches a healing state to transform anxiety,
shunning away bitter life experiences that are the result of not meeting
some particular expectation. On the contrary, a negative approach to
setback gives rise to a feeling of inadequacy and incompetency and the
affected person is unable to accept the situation. It leads to a vicious cycle
of undesirable feelings and the person becomes a victim to self-criticism and
self-doubt as opposed to a person with a positive response to setbacks. The
victim even resorts to blaming others and sees everything as a danger and
threat.
It is imperative to channelise thoughts in the right direction and avoid
anger, anxiety and depression. Hence, developing a healthy response to
setbacks must be seen as a learning opportunity though it may take time
and effort.
OR

India's Reason For Lagging Behind

The survey conducted by the World Economic Forum give us relevant
insights into the higher education sector in India. The results reveal that
one of the factors resulting in India's inability to tap available talent is a
lack of holistic approach in the higher education sector.
The leading cause could be the very low enrolment rate, i.e., 1.4% of the
students in vocational courses, possibly due to dismal interest in this area.
The burgeoning gap in education between the rich and the poor is also a
deterrent in cultivating talent which can be used to boost the economy.
With only 3.3% of the share of GDP being invested in education, India also
does not invest enough in developing means to harness talent. Gender bias
too comes into play with only 36% female participation in the labour force.
It is time that the education policy is refined and reforms are introduced to
ensure that talent is identified and honed to elevate India’s position as a
developed country.
The given information gives us a clear case for India's next step forward.

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 SECTION C
6. (A) (c)

(a) (b)Explanation:
(c) (d) It is clear from the extract that Ebright and his college
mate constructed a plastic model for the DNA of cell hormones. Hence,
(c) is the right answer.
(B) discovered something new and ‘Eureka!’ was a cry to announce it.
(C) (d) plan
Explanation: DNA contains a genetic plan that remains the same
forever. Hence, (d) is the right answer.
(D) (b) Newspaper 2
Explanation: It is clear from the extract that Ebright worked on his
theory with the help of his room-mate Wong. Hence, (b) is the right
answer.
(E) T
 he words blueprint and roommate are made up of two separate
words, i.e., ‘blue+print’ and ‘room+mate’.
OR
(A) (d) she was tall
Explanation: It is clear from the extract that Natalya was (a) well-
educated, (b) not bad-looking and (c) an excellent housekeeper. But,
its nowhere mentioned in the extract that (d) she was tall. Hence, (d)
is the right answer.
(B) (b) Lomov was medically fit.
Explanation: It is clear from the extract that Lomov was suffering
from several ailments. He wasn’t (b) medically fit. Options (a), (c) and
(d) are all true. Hence, (b) is the right answer.
(C) L
 omov was (a) content at his decision of marrying Natalya as in the
extract, he said “What more do I want?” This shows his contentment.
(D) It is clear from the extract that Lomov was suffering from
palpitations, twitches, and muscle pulls.
(E) (b) Steady
Explanation: The word ‘trembling’ means to shake or shiver. Here,
options (a), (c) and (d) are all similar to ‘trembling’ while (b) steady
means to be still. Hence, (b) is the right answer.

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 7. (A) The tone of the poet is very matter-of-fact. Since the subject of the
poem is also serious, the tone also reflects the seriousness and danger that
the poem talks about.
(B) Y
 es, the poet does believe that desire can bring the world to an end
sooner than hatred. This is why he says that he favours fire over ice.
But he does say that hatred is no less powerful. If the world had to
end twice, hatred could easily do the job.
(C) powerful warning
Explanation: The poet tried to warn mankind to control their desire
and hatred to save the world from destruction.
(D) (d) Into
Explanation: Phrasal verbs are phrases that indicate actions.
Options (a), (b) and (c) are all phrasal verb while (d) hold into is not as
it doesn’t indicate any action. Hence, (d) is the right answer.
OR
(A) T
 he poet has compared the movements of a cat with that of a fog.
They are independent, stealthy and move at their own pace.
(B) (d) (3) only
Explanation: The poet has used imagery to create visuals of the
movements of fog in the poem. Hence, (d) is the right answer.
(C) T
 he poet has described the movement of fog in the poem. He has
described the stealthy rolling in of fog to how a cat moves on its
silent paws. The action that takes place is the movement of fog over
the city and harbour. It happens very silently and is imperceptible
to people who are not observing it. Hence, I do not agree with the
statement given in the question.
(D) B
 y keeping the lines short, the poet is controlling the pace to make
the reader slow down thereby reflecting the slow rolling in of the
fog.
8. (A) 
The People of Coorg, also known as Kadavus, are believed to be of
Greek or Arabic descent. It is said that a part of Alexander’s army
settled in Coorg when their return became impractical. They married
amongst the locals and hence they are a race of martial men. Kodavus
wear a long coat with an embroidered waist belt which resembles the
dress worn by Arabs.
(B) 
Yes, the tiger in the poem had lost its natural instinct due to
captivity. Although the tiger was in terrific rage as he had been

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 taken away from his natural habitat, he didn’t roar as he would
have done in the forest. Instead, he walked silently about the
length of the cage. The zoo had controlled the tiger’s natural display
of emotions.
(C) I think comparing it to salt is more appropriate than sugar. We
associate sugar with sweetness and celebration. On the other hand,
being ‘salty’ refers to feelings of anger and resentment as a result of
disappointment. Our tears are also ‘salty’ in nature and we associate
them with sadness.
(D) 
When Anne’s parents emigrated to Holland in 1933, both Anne and
Margot want to live with their grandmother. Later, in December
that year, Margot joined their parents but Anne joined them on
Margot’s birthday as a surprise. She was the birthday present for
Margot that year.
(E) • Fable is fictitious narrative usually with animals, birds etc as
characters and shares a strong message whereas a ballad is
narrative verse that can be silly or heroic.
• The Tale of Custard the Dragon includes animals, is surely
fictitious and shares a meaningful message.
Hence, better qualifies as a fable.
Explanation: The Tale of Custard the Dragon’ is written in the
form of a ballad and has a smooth rhyme scheme and lyrical quality.
But it is also in the form of a fable because most of the characters
are animals who have distinct personalities and can talk and show
emotions just like human beings.

9. (A) 
When Mrs Pumphrey found Tricki weak, she started giving him extra
snacks between meals to build him up. She gave him some malt and
cod-liver oil and a bowl of Horlicks at night. She never forgot to give
him cream cakes and chocolates which Tricki really loved. She was not
successful rather she put her dog in more trouble. He started gaining
weight which made his condition worse.
(B) 
Yes, I believe that the teacher was an artist and Bholi was her
masterpiece. Her teacher carved and shaped her strong and
independent future like an artist. The teacher’s love, care and
concern for her turned her from a shy insecure girl to an independent
lady. Bholi’s decision to call off her marriage with an old greedy
man was her teacher’s artwork that was finally completed.
(C) 
Max was an overconfident and proud spy. His pride blinded him,
and he thought that wielding a gun would give a further edge over

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 Ausable but he was unsuccessful. Ausable outwitted him without
lifting a finger. Max, in fact, jumped to his own death by taking
Ausable's words at face value. Thus, one learns that one should
not be proud and must pay attention to the minutest details before
trusting others.
10. Good morning, everyone. Today, I would like to talk to you about how the
journeys that we experience in life are often more important than their
destinations.In ‘Madam Rides the Bus’, Valli's journey was initially filled
with excitement. It was only when she saw the young cow dead on the road
that her spirits dampened. This experience made her learn about life and
death. Similarly, the pilot in ‘The Black Aeroplane’ was guided to safety by
another plane when his plane went into a storm. However, he later learned
that there were no other planes in the sky! Valli's bus ride symbolises a
journey of exploration and self-discovery, while the pilot's flight through the
storm represents a journey of courage and resilience. To conclude, I would
like to say that you should enjoy every moment of your journey, because
that's where you'll find the true treasures.
Thank you
OR
Lencho: As a farmer, my livelihood depends on nature, and sometimes
nature can be cruel. Just like that hailstorm that destroyed my crops, it felt
like God himself was testing my faith.
Robert Frost: I understand, Lencho. Nature can be both a friend and a foe.
Take, for instance, the dust of snow shaken from a hemlock tree. It seems
so insignificant, but it changed my entire mood that day. It reminded me
that even in the midst of life's challenges, nature can offer unexpected
moments of beauty and solace.
Lencho: Indeed, Mr. Frost, your poem reminds me that nature's smallest
gestures can have a profound impact on our lives. Perhaps God's response
to my letter wasn't just about the money, but a reminder of His presence in
the world around me.
Robert Frost: Nature has its own way of speaking to us, often when we least
expect it.
 me. Forestier turns out to be an interesting character. She plays a vital role
11. M
in the story. As a friend to Matilda, we find her to be really genuine as she
helps Matilda in the hour of need. When Mme Loisel needs to borrow jewels,
she turns to Mme Forestier. Mme Forestier does not refuse. Displaying her
generosity, she opens up the entire array of her jewels for Matilda to choose
from. Also, she is considerate when Loisels delay the return of the necklace.
Surprisingly, at the end of the story, concludes the entire narrative.

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 Without even a moment's hesitation, she reveals to Matilda that her
necklace was just a fake. She is not at all worried in the light of the fact
that she may have to return the necklace. It shows her honesty. Rather,
she, like a true friend, feels bad for Matilda at her unnecessary suffering.
We find her sympathising with Mme. Loisel. She is indeed a gem of a
friend.
OR
Introductory
Both characters in the story—neither completely black (negative) or white
(ideal)—have redeeming qualities as well as those that need improvement—
story reveals both their personas as grey.
Hari Singh
• Thief—artful - too smart for his age - fooled his victims and police
--Wasn’t ashamed in lying and stealing –made no efforts to confess
that he had given in to the temptation of stealing the notes However,
• Changed due to love, affection and Anil’s trust
The character of Hari Singh—not a flat character who is either black or
white.
Anil
• While we can admire Anil for his qualities --helpful and simple --easily
trusting --forgave the thief --never uttered a word despite knowledge of
the theft However,
• Not perfect--casual about money --ignored Hari Singh’s pilfering The
character of Hari Singh—not a flat character who is either black or
white.
Conclusion—Grey characters present a challenge to the readers, allow a
sense of unpredictability and present a moral challenge. Hari Singh and
Anil are created as grey characters.
Explanation: The character of Hari Singh invokes pity in the reader
because of his condition as a solitary thief. But, at the same time, Hari does
not inspire our trust or goodwill because of his selfish and opportunistic
nature. He is a grey character who does not show a moral understanding.
He is highly observant of Anil and shows a liking towards him. But he does
not hesitate to steal from Anil when he gets the opportunity. In this way,
the author has created a character who is realistic and a human being with
many imperfections which play in tandem with his good qualities.

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